Teen Rockford homicide suspect arrested

ROCKFORD - A teenager suspected by police in a September slaying at an East State Street gas station was captured and lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.

Tronte D. Pickett, 19, of Rockford, was arrested Saturday in connection with the Sept. 21 killing of Jordan M. Bounsinh, 22. They were said to have been involved in a verbal dispute before shots were fired and Bousinh was struck in the head by gunfire at the Mobil gas station, 1344 E. State St.

Police were unable to locate Pickett after the killing and he remained at large until Saturday.

Already on parole for a 2009 robbery charge, Pickett was arrested at 7:10 a.m. Saturday along with another man at an apartment building located at 4026 Auburn St. when police were called with a report of armed men in a common hallway, a Rockford Police Department news release said.

Pickett was charged with murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, defacing a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner's Identification Card, according to Winnebago County court and jail records.

Eric L. Brown, 22, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a weapon without a Firearm Owner's Identification Card and defacement of a firearm's serial number.